Tony Esposito

Antonio "Tony" Esposito (born 16 July 1950) is an Italian percussionist, songwriter and musician.

Career

Esposito was born in Naples. He started playing percussion in his teenage years. In the early 1970s, he played sessions and recorded with musicians such as Alan Sorrenti, Don Cherry, Don Moye, Gato Barbieri, Eumir Deodato, Brian Auger, Gilberto Gil and Pino Daniele. In 1975, he recorded his first solo album, Rosso napoletano, in collaboration with Paul Buckmaster.

Esposito is mostly well known for his 1984 hit single "Kalimba de Luna" from his album Il grande esploratore. After winning the Un disco per l'estate music festival, it charted in Italy and Switzerland, and a cover by Boney M reached No. 17 in Germany.

In 1987, his single "Papa Chico" was No. 2 in The Netherlands for 5 weeks and No. 3 in Belgium for 2 weeks.

In 1986, he won the Nastro d'argento Award for the soundtrack of Lina Wertmuller's film Camorra (A Story of Streets, Women and Crime).

Discography

Rosso napoletano (1975) Processione sul mare (1976) Gente distratta (1977) La banda del sole (1978) Tamburo (1982) Il grande esploratore (1984) As tu às (1985) Tony Esposito (1987) Villaggio globale (1990) Tropico (1996) Tony Esposito (anthology, 1997) Viaggio tribale (2003) Sentirai (2011) Tam Tam Bass (2013)

Collaborations 1972: Aria – Alan Sorrenti 1973: Come un vecchio incensiere all'alba di un villaggio deserto – Alan Sorrenti 1973: Il re non-si diverte – Roberto Vecchioni 1973: Opera buffa – Francesco Guccini 1974: I buoni e i cattivi – Edoardo Bennato 1974: Stanze di vita quotidiana – Francesco Guccini 1974: Francesco De Gregori – Francesco De Gregori 1975: Io che non-sono l'imperatore – Edoardo Bennato 1975: La valle dei templi – Perigeo 1975: La torre di Babele – Edoardo Bennato 1976: Automobili – Lucio Dalla 1977: Samarcanda – Roberto Vecchioni 1977: Dialoghi del presente - Luciano Cilio 1981: Vai mò – Pino Daniele 2007: Il mio nome è Pino Daniele e vivo qui – Pino Daniele 2008: Ricomincio da 30 – Pino Daniele